Une cloche pour Adano

Based on John Hersey's bestselling novel, this film hit cinemas at about the same time as Rossellini's films depicting the impact of the occupation upon Italy and doesn't suffer from the comparison.

Done with grace and humour and full of life, it contains the most of the virtues and few of the vices of a Hollywood blockbuster of the period. (Both Joseph LaShelle's high-contrast photography and the use of sound to covey the acoustics of the requisitioned Town Hall add to the atmosphere).

John Hodiak is excellent in the lead and is flanked by a wonderful supporting cast ranging from Marcel Dalio (who at opposite ends of his acting career appeared in the anti-war epics 'La Grande Illusion' and 'Catch-22') to Henry Morgan (later Col. Potter in 'MASH'); while the cast also includes silent director Monty Banks (here billed as 'Montague') and future director Hugo Haas.

I liked this film in most respects. John Hodiak was perfect as "Mr. Major." William Bendix, one of my favorite character actors, displayed much of his range, from humor to pathos. And Henry King's direction was superb. However, Gene Tierney was seriously miscast as the comely village girl.

Miss Tierney's Italian accent was practically non-existent. And that bleached blonde hair! I seriously doubt that an Italian girl of modest means in a fishing village would have made that a priority during World War II.

And why was John Hodiak talking about Jean Tierney's "dark skin" resembling that of his wife back home? If her skin was any lighter she could've been mistaken for an albino!

I gave this film an "8". It was one of those films where the plot line was taken too literally from the novel. The romance between Hodiak and Tierney didn't contribute much to the film. And Richard Conte's morbid description of the death of Tierney's boyfriend was way too heavy and mostly irrelevant to the rest of the film. Otherwise, "A Bell for Adano" would've have earned a "9" from me.

Ciao

This film showed that John Hodiak could act, though I guess he didn't get that many chances to star in the movies he appeared in during his career. He's wonderful as the commanding officer in charge of a post-war Italian village. He tries everything he can to rebuild the town--both physically and in spirit. However, the one thing he really can't do is restore the bell stolen from the town by the Fascists. The townspeople see this as a point of pride; i.e., if they get a new bell it proves they are a real and growing town. At first Hodiak isn't the least bit sympathetic to their plight. However, over time he begins to see that maybe there is something to be said about restoring civic pride. A cute and quite unusual film well worth watching.

In another attempt to depict Americans as the saviours of Europe post-WWII, Henry King's 'A Bell for Adano' centres on the rebuilding of an Italian town bombarded and driven to despair, rescued by the American 'invaders' who come to build civil peace.

The Italians are in the main shown in a comic way, as children who are incapable of governing themselves, or as joke fascists. A curious view at the time in history it was made, right at the end of the war. The Americans (the good-looking Major, the snipey Captain, the loyal but dumb Sergeant) have a bit more character but are still stereotypical Army types.

In the cast, John Hodiak is good as usual, helped this time by the stellar support of Harry Morgan, William Bendix, and Glenn Langan (as a too-good-to-be-true naval officer). Gene Tierney is a bottle-blonde lovely in the town and a love interest for Hodiak, although her acting is little more than passable.

I liked this film in the main as it manages to make an impact within a limited plotline. Now rarely seen and not available on video/DVD, it doesn't deserve to be in obscurity but to be seen and celebrated with other films made during and just after wartime.

This is one of those films made during late WWII about WWII. It has some of the feel of the Italian neo-realist films that were starting to be made around this time. This is definitely a good thing - it doesn't feel like an overproduced, overwritten studio effort.

The story slowly draws you in as the new American administrator of a little Italian village arrives and tries to help the townspeople get used to life as a free people again, and to get their lives & livelihoods restarted.

The writing is mostly fresh and natural, as is the acting. The only false notes are the bumbling Italians who become the Americans' assistants, and to a lesser extent the standard poor-yet-dignified villagers. But compared to most films of the era they're minor annoyances.